Moroccan Referees Appointed for Guinea–Togo AFCON Qualifier Amid Ebola Concerns
A team of Moroccan officials has been appointed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to oversee the upcoming Guinea vs. Togo match, which marks the opening round of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The match, initially scheduled to take place in Guinea, will instead be held in Casablanca, Morocco, due to ongoing concerns over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Redouane Jiyed will serve as the match referee, assisted by compatriots Redouane Achik and Mohamed Lahmidi. Hicham Tiazi has been named as the fourth official, while Algerian Mohamed Boukarroum will act as the match commissioner.
Guinea and Togo are drawn in Group E alongside Ghana and Uganda—forming one of the most competitive groups in the qualifying phase.
Speaking ahead of the match, Guinea’s head coach Michel Dussuyer acknowledged the difficult road ahead. “We find ourselves in a tough group. Ghana is a powerhouse in African football, regularly qualifying for both AFCON and World Cups. Togo also has quality players—like Emmanuel Adebayor, Alaixys Romao, Serge Gakpé, and Kossi Agassa. They performed well at CAN 2013,” Dussuyer said.
While the fourth team in the group is still being finalized—potentially Equatorial Guinea or Uganda—the challenge facing the Syli Nationale is already clear. The opening match will be crucial for both Guinea and Togo as they begin their campaign for a place at the 2015 tournament.
